Jamina Roberts scored the semifinal's first goal and waved her clenched fist several times. It was as if she wanted to send a signal to France and the 27,000 spectators in Lille, that Sweden certainly didn't intend to give the reigning champions an easy match.
And what a match it became afterwards.
Johanna Bundsen – what is she made of? – continued her successful OS and stood out in the first half with one of the most sweaty performances that may have been seen at this level.
There was only one problem: Laura Glauser in France's goal played almost as well.
Sweden worked hard offensively from the start and when Jenny Carlson reduced the score to 3–4, it marked the end of an almost nine-minute-long blue-yellow goal drought.
Took hold of the grip
It was also the start of a minor goal explosion. Sweden poured on with four more goals in a row and took a firm grip, 7–4, on the gold favorite.
At halftime, the lead had shrunk to 12–10 after Bundsen had saved 52 percent of the French shots.
Spurred on by an incredibly loud crowd, the French continued to chase in the second half. But Sweden bit back – and even pulled away. When Jamina Roberts countered in 20–16, Blue-yellow led for the first time with four goals.
Only just over a quarter remained and good advice began to become expensive for France, this star-studded national team that had met Sweden twelve times in a row without losing before the semifinal.
With just over six minutes left, France was still even, and the tie stood until the end.
Led in the final seconds
Kristin Thorleifsdottir banged in 25–24 to Sweden with just over a minute left. With 14 seconds left, France equalized.
The nerve-wracking continued with overtime – and ahead of them, the Swedish women had the ten most important minutes of their handball careers.
Then everything went wrong.
Substitute goalkeeper Hatadou Sako grew to a giant when Sweden burned chance after chance. Already after the first of the two five-minute periods, France had taken a three-goal lead. In the end, the winning score was 31–28.
We had the chance to decide it in full time, says Jamina Roberts.
Sweden will have to try to recharge for Saturday's bronze match and a new chance to secure a historic OS medal.
That match on Saturday, we're going to win. I don't have time to be down and neither does anyone else, I'll make sure of that. We're going to win that match, says Jamina Roberts.
Then Denmark will provide the opposition.
